Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for being here to answer the question. I was shocked to discover before Christmas last year that there are no leaving certificate applied options available for secondary school students in all of County Leitrim. Since it was brought to my attention, I raised the issue initially with the Taoiseach on December 13 during Questions on Promised Legislation. I submitted several parliamentary questions and wrote to the Minister highlighting the situation. I find it incredible that a recognised State curriculum is completely unavailable to students in all of County Leitrim.

There are over 800,000 people aged between ten and 24 in Ireland. As these young people transition from adolescence to adulthood and from primary school to secondary school and further education or work, they are faced with major changes, pressures, expectations and opportunities. We must ensure their voices are heard and that they are respected, safe and healthy and that they meet their full potential in life and education. The two-year leaving certificate applied programme is designed for students who do not wish to proceed directly to higher education or for those whose needs, aptitudes and learning styles are not fully catered for by the other two leaving certificate programmes. The experiences are active and practical with less emphasis on final examinations. The programme provides for a wealth of opportunity which enhances the self-esteem and confidence of students with regular feedback on their success and achievements. Education is the key to giving every child an equal opportunity in life. Ireland is recognised as having a strong education system with a well-trained and committed teaching profession yet too many of our children still fall through the cracks and are in danger of being left behind, as is the case in County Leitrim. Page 86 of the programme for Government states that "the Government, working in conjunction with the Oireachtas must ... equip young people with key enabling skills for the future so they can meet their full potential in a fast-changing world". Page 90 of the programme states that the Government will "introduce greater flexibility in our schools and pursue measures to achieve this" and that "This may include nurturing different ambitions through new subject choices, greater engagement with enterprise on future skills needs, and increased flexibility". The Government is not adhering to its own commitments.

There is a concerned parent in south County Leitrim whose child attends school there and whose educational psychologist has recommended the student should be enrolled on a leaving certificate applied course. However, the school the student attends does not provide that programme. No school in County Leitrim offers the leaving certificate applied curriculum. In response to a parliamentary question and a letter to the Minister, Deputy Bruton, I received a copy and paste response which advised me that "It is the responsibility and choice of each individual school to decide to put in place the LCA programme, including the admittance of a student to the programme". In this instance, is it not a matter for the Department to intervene? Are parents and children in County Leitrim just to get on with it? Teachers have raised concerns that the falling numbers opting for LCA are as a result of choices forced on schools by education cutbacks. Due to staffing limitations imposed by several budgets, some schools have dropped programmes such as the LCA altogether. This is a matter for the Department of Education and Skills and the Department must address it, particularly in the instances where the educational psychologist has recommended a student for the leaving certificate applied programme.

Level 4 education is an essential component of the education system which each and every child is entitled to and it is being denied to children in County Leitrim. Society has an expectation that young people embrace change. Those of us charged with education must step up to the mark. There are students in County Leitrim who are not being educationally supported to prepare positively for their future. They are being denied the entitlement of their required educational needs, which is confirmed by the National Educational Psychological Service as the leaving certificate applied qualification. The statistics compared to neighbouring counties offering the programme are staggering. Records from 2016 show there were 48 in County Sligo, 14 in County Roscommon, 79 in County Galway, 73 in County Mayo and 136 in County Donegal but none in County Leitrim. This is not an acceptable situation. Students in County Leitrim are losing out. The education system is failing children in the county. Putting them on a bus and sending them to counties Sligo or Roscommon is not the answer.

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